title: Intestinal disaccharidase activities and activity ratios in a group of 60 adult German subjects.
abstract: Lactase, maltase and sucrase activities were determined in samples of jejunal mucosa obtained by suction biopsy from 60 healthy adult German males. Primary adult hypolactasia ("lactase deficiency") was found in 8 subjects (13%). Maltase:lactase and sucrase:lactase activity ratios were significantly higher in post-weaning hypolactasia than in adult lactase persistence. Sources of variation in disaccharidase activities measured in biopsy tissue homogenates are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005696:Galactosidases / Q000032:analysis*; D005959:Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000032:analysis*; D007583:Jejunum; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000175:diagnosis; D007789:Lactose Tolerance Test; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013393:Sucrase / Q000032:analysis*; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases / Q000032:analysis*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005696:Galactosidases; D005959:Glucosidases; D000520:alpha-Glucosidases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D013393:Sucrase